10ga. Waterfowling Guns? Opinions?

12Ga.Messiah

12Ga.Messiah

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Hi and thanks for responding. I am an avid waterfowler and devout 12ga. fan. I have moved to an area that is rife with geese and have never really been a goose hunter as such. I have been somewhat successful with 12ga. but most of the guys I hunt with here all swear by 10ga. for geese. I have no idea about brands, availabilities or what to even look for. Price isn't really an object but seeing as I cant picture uplanding with a 10ga. I am not wanting to spend too much on a specific use gun. If there are any of you out there with an opinion on brands to get and brands to watchout for, I would really appreciate some input.
 
Have a look at the Browning BPS Pump 10 gauge, for around $600 its a steal ... Or if you dont mind speaning more $$$ go with a Remington SP-10, or the Browning Gold 10 both are about $1400-1700
 
I have owned the Browning pump, Browning gold and Rem SP-10. The only one i kept was the SP-10. The Browning pump was the worst of the three, it absolutely beat me up. It had a very slim stock and pounded my cheek to the point of bruises, the pump was very long and the gun as a whole is a giant and very awkward to use. The Browning gold is the best looking of the three but very hard to reload for, shells had to be just right for it to work. It was also kind of a pain to strip to clean, and it had to be kept clean to function. The SP-10 is my favorite of the three, fastest pointing, simple design, will cycle any handload, well balanced, easy to strip and clean. For me the the best hunting gun of the bunch.
 
I like the 2 SxS I had & sold. I now have a Ithaca mag 10. For the last 10 ys it has served me well. That being said, a 13 ga 2/34 or 3" will kill geese fine,just pattern the gun with heave shot & use what the gun likes. A 10 does have a wow factor though. AJ
 
I have used both a 10 and a 12gauge 3.5 inch in the past.
The past 2 years I have only been using a 3inch 391 beretta and shooting Kent faststeel number 3s and doing just fine.I use a full choke and I make sure the geese are withen 50 yards and only shot at the head.I can smoke just as many geese as the other guys I hunt with that use 10gauges and 3.5inch 12s over land and water.

The big thing is you have to know your gun.

All the best
 
using steel loads the 12 and 10 are about even for performance,patterning being most important. Selection and price wise stick with the 12 ga. I reload steel,and if you do not, buy the newer faster(alloy) steel shells and pattern them. With steel speed kills,lower pellet counts,higer speeds,deeper penetration,longer lethal range.
I will be looking for hunters this year,i am in an under hunted area crawling with early season geese and super duck hunting,huge marsh 3 minutes from my front door,just me and thousands of geese and ducks,oh well just my luck.
sgt rock
 
For Ducks & Geese I use a SxS, AYA 10ga. Mag, 3 1/2". I was going to open the chokes and use steel shot but for the amount I'll probably use it in the future, I'm going to 'bite the bullet' and pick up some Bismuth. I hate to touch the chokes because as is, it shoots pretty tight patterns.
 
This is great.........thanks folks

Thanks for the responses so far. I really appreciate them.
The area I have moved to requires me to hunt geese in a valley. This gives them a little more elevation than in many other areas, hence my quandry.
I do well with my old bolt action 12ga. on my own property but just seem to miss that little bit of 10ga. "uumph?" or finish that my friends swear by when I go on the goose hunts in the valley. I am a duckhunter from childhood and it was a rare but thankful gift to get geese as we traditionally hunted small ponds and geese just were'nt there in abundance. My knowledge of 10ga. just sux, I was just never exposed to them. This forum and the people involved have been awesome!!!!! thanks again folks
 
The 12 guage shell has come along way since the time when a 10 guage was the norm or thought needed. Theres nothing a good 3" or 3 1/2" 12 guage shell cant do compared to a 10 guage with the speed they've got steel going now. Also depending on how much you shoot, the cost difference in guages will be quite a bit, in my eyes its just cheaper,far lighter guns to carry and also easiler to find the shells you want. I also tend to not shoot a 10 guage as most other local hunters who I know use them think becuase its a 10 guage they can reach them a further out, and then you watch them skybust every flock coming off the roost at 50-60 yards and only wing one down. I think you'll be happy with either guages but in my opinion the 12 can handle any situation.
 
If it can't be killed with a 12 ga 3" shell, you shouldn't be hunting! I wouldn't bother getting a 10. With good calling and a good spread of fullbody dekes to draw them in, a 10 ga is just overkill, plus the shells are way more expensive. All my geese are killed at 25 yards and less. I use a light mod choke to snug up the pattern a bit and just aim for the head. I stone birds on a regular basis. Save your money and treat yourself to a good 12 ga semi for waterfowling and you won't be disappointed.
 
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I know a few guys who use 10 gauge Browning BPS shotguns for geese and long range duck hunting,They swear by theirs.
 
Quackhead said:
If it can't be killed with a 12 ga 3" shell, you shouldn't be hunting! I wouldn't bother getting a 10. With good calling and a good spread of fullbody dekes to draw them in, a 10 ga is just overkill, plus the shells are way more expensive. All my geese are killed at 25 yards and less. I use a light mod choke to snug up the pattern a bit and just aim for the head. I stone birds on a regular basis. Saved your money and treat yourself to a good 12 ga semi for waterfowling and you won't be disappointed.
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Well, that's definately one opinion.;) If you're getting all your geese at 25 yds or less, you're probably the exception rather than the rule.:) As such, you could probably go as small as a standard 20ga, or even smaller. I have an AYA 10ga. 3 1/2" mag SxS that I've had for years, is in mint shape, shoots tight patterns and can boot out loads as heavy as 2 1/4oz. [U]IF today [/U]I was in the market for a gun specifically for waterfowl it probably would be something 12ga and 3" or 3 1/2" but as I presently have this 10ga, and with handloads it'll do anything a big 12ga will do, I'll make do.;)
 
I own both 12 (3 1/2) and a BPS 10 and saying a 12 will do everything a 10 well do is like saying a 6 cyl will do everything a 8 cyl can do. I guess to some the only real difference must be the bang. There is a BPS 10 on EE Shotguns and no it's not mine I love the extra weight and kick of the 10 too much to part with it. As for price of shells I have been buying 10 cheaper then 3 1/2 12's when on sale. Turkeys and geese hate 10 gauges.
 
beretta boy said:
The Big 10 is the real thing ... "Sky Carp" beware ...
why you think we call them "ganderf**kers " ??

THE ultimate goose swattin' machine. Not recommended for woodcock :D
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A hunting partner of mine also has a 10ga. SxS. What "you call them" reminds me of something similar my buddy had engraved on his at a local jewelery shop, 'Duck F**ker'.:evil:;)
 
I have been contemplating getting an auto 10. My buddy has a 12 3 1/2" seems to kick butt on geese well. Oh yeh Snow goose season is open see you out there.
 
The 10 gauge is much more efficient with steel shot than the 12 31/2, with a larger bore diameter and only slightly heavier or identical payloads the 10 gauge has a shorter pattern tail and a more even pellet distribution. Also with equal loads the 10 gauge will kick less than a 12 because of the larger bore diameter. If you want a 10 gauge buy a 10 gauge but there is nothing mystical about it.
 
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